Two-Person Garments

ABSTRACT

A garment adapted to be simultaneously worn by a first human being and a second human being who are standing or seated in a side-by-side, front-facing, shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with respect to each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to garments. More particularly, the present invention relates to garments adapted to be simultaneously worn by a first human being and a second human being who are standing or seated in a side-by-side, front-facing, shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with respect to each other.

2. Description of Related Art

Spectators of cold weather outdoor sporting events often use blankets to provide warmth. Blankets are sometimes folded and placed on bench-type stadium seating to provide cushioning. Blankets are also sometimes placed across the laps of two or more persons. However, this leaves the rear torso portions of the persons uncovered. It is very difficult to use a single blanket to simultaneously cover both the front and the rear torso portions of two people, particularly when the two people are frequently alternating between standing and sitting positions in response to events occurring during the sporting event.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides garments that are adapted to be simultaneously worn by a first human being and a second human being who are standing or seated in a side-by-side, front-facing, shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with respect to each other. In a first embodiment of the invention, the garment comprises a water permeable fabric sheet having a front panel portion having a front length and a front width sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a front torso portion of the first human being and a front torso portion of the second human being when wearing the garment. The fabric sheet also comprises a rear panel portion having a rear length and a rear width sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a back torso portion of the first human being and the back torso portion of the second human being when wearing the garment. A narrow opening defined by a continuous inner peripheral edge having no sharp corners is formed between the front panel portion and the rear panel portion. The narrow opening is dimensioned sufficient to permit a head and neck portion of the first human being and a head and neck portion of the second human to simultaneously extend through the narrow opening when wearing the garment. Hook and loop fasteners tabs are attached to an underside of the front panel portion and the rear panel portion of the fabric sheet proximal to a front and rear midpoint of the narrow opening. When the garment is simultaneously worn by the first human being and the second human being, the pair of mating hook and loop fastener tabs can be fastened together to thereby form separate collar portions for surrounding the neck portion of the first human being and the neck portion of the second human being.

In a second embodiment of the invention, a drawstring is slidingly retained within banding at the inner peripheral edge of the opening for selectively cinching the opening. Free ends of the drawstring extend from a gap in the banding proximal to a front midpoint of a front peripheral edge portion of the opening. In addition, a left side lower portion of the front panel is joined to a left side lower portion of the rear panel to form a left side arm hole. And, a right side lower portion of the front panel is joined to a right side lower portion of the rear panel to form a right side arm hole.

Garments according to the invention can be comfortably worn simultaneously by two persons to provide warmth at cold weather sporting events and at other functions. The garments cover at least the front torso portion and the rear torso portion of two people, and do not need to be readjusted significantly when the persons alternate between standing and sitting positions.

The foregoing and other features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the present invention may be employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the garment shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary garment according to a first embodiment of the invention being worn by two human beings.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary garment according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the garment shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides garments that are adapted to be simultaneously worn by a first human being and a second human being who are standing or seated in a side-by-side, front-facing, shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with respect to each other. Such garments are particularly suitable for use by spectators at cold weather outdoor sporting events. However, it will be appreciated that the garments can be used any time or place two human beings who are standing or seated in a side-by-side, front-facing, shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with respect to each other desire to be kept warm.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary garment 10 in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention. The garment 10 comprises a water permeable fabric sheet 20 comprising a front panel portion 30, a rear panel portion 40 and a narrow opening 50. The fabric sheet 20 preferably comprises wool, but may be made of other suitable warmth-providing materials. Water impervious layers (including waterproof breathable layers) may be laminated to an exposed outer side of the water permeable fabric sheet, if desired. In the exemplary garment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer perimeter edge 60 of the fabric sheet 20 defines a rectangle, which allows the garment to be folded and stored like a blanket.

The narrow opening 50 in the fabric sheet 20 is defined by a continuous inner peripheral edge having no sharp corners. The narrow opening 50 is formed between the front panel portion 30 and the rear panel portion 40. As shown in FIG. 2, the narrow opening is dimensioned sufficient to permit a head and neck portion of a first human being 70 and a head and neck portion of a second human 80 to simultaneously extend through the narrow opening 50 when the garment 10 is worn as intended.

Also as shown in FIG. 1, the front panel portion 30 of the fabric sheet 20 has a front length (FL) and a front width (FW) sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a front torso portion of the first human being 70 and a front torso portion of the second human being 80 when wearing the garment 10. The rear panel portion 40 has a rear length (RL) and a rear width (RW) sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a back torso portion of the first human being 70 and the back torso portion of the second human being 80 when wearing the garment 10. The length of the front and rear panel portions 30, 40 can, but need not be, the same length. It will be appreciated that the length of the front and rear panel portions 30, 40 can be made as long as desired. A longer front panel portion 30, for example, allows the first and second human beings 70, 80 to cover their legs.

One of a mating pair of hook and loop fastener tabs 90, 100 is attached to an underside 110 of the front panel portion 30 of the fabric sheet 20 proximal to a front midpoint of a front inner peripheral edge portion 120 of the narrow opening 50. The other of the mating pair of hook and loop fastener tabs 90, 100 is attached to an underside 130 of the rear panel portion 40 of the fabric sheet 20 proximal to a rear midpoint of a rear inner peripheral edge portion 140 of the narrow opening 50. The hook and loop fastener tabs 90, 100 are preferably attached in a vertical strip to the undersides 110, 130 of the fabric sheet 20 as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, when the garment 10 is simultaneously worn by the first human being 70 and the second human being 80, the pair of mating hook and loop fastener tabs 90, 100 can be fastened together to thereby form separate left and right collar portions 150, 160 for surrounding the neck portion of the first human being 70 and the neck portion of the second human being 80, respectively. This reduces the amount of open air space between the two human beings, which helps retain heat.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an exemplary garment 10′ in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. As in the case of the garment 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention, the garment 10′ according to the second embodiment of the invention comprises a water permeable fabric sheet 20′ comprising a front panel portion 30′, a rear panel portion 40′ and an opening 50′. The fabric sheet 20′ preferably comprises wool, but may be made of other suitable warmth-providing materials. Water impervious layers (including waterproof breathable layers) may be laminated to an exposed outer side of the water permeable fabric sheet, if desired. Also as in the case of the garment 10 according to the first embodiment of the invention, the front and rear panel portions 30′, 40′ have front and rear lengths (FL′, RL′) and front and rear widths (FW′, RW′), respectively, sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a back torso portion of a first human being and the back torso portion of a second human being when the garment is worn as intended. In the exemplary garment 10′ shown in FIG. 3, the front length and rear length (FL′, RL′) is identical, and the front width and rear width (FW′, RW′) is also identical. It will be appreciated that while the front and rear widths (FW′, RW′) will generally be identical, the front and rear lengths (FL′, RL′) do not need to be the same. For example, the rear length (RL′) can be longer than the front length (FL′) to provide a cushioned seat portion, or the front length (FL′) can be longer than the rear length (RL′), to provide additional covering for the legs of the first and second human beings.

The opening 50′ formed in the garment 10′ according to the second embodiment of the invention is defined by an inner peripheral edge formed between the front panel portion 30′ and the rear panel portion 40′. The opening 50′ is dimensioned sufficient to permit a head and neck portion of the first human being and a head and neck portion of the second human to simultaneously extend through the opening 50′ when wearing the garment 10′. A drawstring 170 is slidingly retained within banding 180 at the inner peripheral edge of the opening 50′ for selectively cinching the opening 50′. The drawstring 170 has free ends 190, which extend from a gap 200 in the banding 180 proximal to a front midpoint of a front peripheral edge portion 120′ of the opening. A spring-biased clamp 210 can be attached to the drawstring 170 to prevent the free ends 190 of the drawstring 170 from being completely retracted into the banding 180, and for retaining the drawstring 170 in the desired location to cinch the opening 50′ as desired.

In the garment 10′ according to the second embodiment of the invention, a left side lower portion 220 of the front panel 30′ is joined to a left side lower portion 230 of the rear panel 40′ to form a left side arm hole 240. And, a right side lower portion 250 of the front panel 30′ is joined to a right side lower portion 260 of the rear panel 40′ to form a right side arm hole 270.

Garments according to the invention can be easily donned and removed by two persons. The garments provide warmth and comfort, and also allow spectators at having to worry about readjusting their protective clothing. The garments can be folded like blankets for convenient transportation and storage.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and illustrative examples shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1. A garment adapted to be simultaneously worn by a first human being and a second human being who are standing or seated in a side-by-side, front-facing, shoulder-to-shoulder relationship with respect to each other, the garment comprising: a water permeable fabric sheet having a front panel portion having a front length and a front width sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a front torso portion of the first human being and a front torso portion of the second human being when wearing the garment, a rear panel portion having a rear length and a rear width sufficient to simultaneously cover at least a back torso portion of the first human being and the back torso portion of the second human being when wearing the garment, and a narrow opening defined by a continuous inner peripheral edge having no sharp corners formed between the front panel portion and the rear panel portion, the narrow opening being dimensioned sufficient to permit a head and neck portion of the first human being and a head and neck portion of the second human to simultaneously extend through the narrow opening when wearing the garment; one of a mating pair of hook and loop fastener tabs attached to an underside of the front panel portion of the fabric sheet proximal to a front midpoint of a front inner peripheral edge portion of the narrow opening; and the other of the mating pair of hook and loop fastener tabs attached to an underside of the rear panel portion of the fabric sheet proximal to a rear midpoint of a rear inner peripheral edge portion of the narrow opening; wherein, when the garment is simultaneously worn by the first human being and the second human being, the pair of mating hook and loop fastener tabs can be fastened together to thereby form separate collar portions for surrounding the neck portion of the first human being and the neck portion of the second human being.
 2. The garment according to claim 1 wherein the fabric sheet comprises wool.
 3. The garment according to claim 1 wherein an outer perimeter edge of the fabric sheet defines a rectangle. 4-6. (canceled) 